Motor engineering, plainly explained.
Short technical articles from our application engineers on ratings, efficiency, 60 Hz markets and brakes.
Running a 50 Hz motor on 60 Hz: what really changes
A 400 V 50 Hz winding on a 460 V 60 Hz supply keeps the same volts-per-hertz. Here is what that does to output, speed, torque, current and the nameplate.
Service factor: what SF 1.15 and SF 1.25 really mean
Service factor is a promise about heat. Understanding it lets you buy a smaller motor that still carries the peaks.
Is IE3 worth it? Watch the slip on pumps and fans
Higher-efficiency motors run slightly faster. On centrifugal loads that can cancel the saving unless the duty point is restored.
Sizing a hoist brake: torque is only half the story
Every brake catalogue lists torque. Brake life is decided by the energy absorbed on each stop and the number of stops an hour.
US motor efficiency rules: what OEM buyers importing motors should know
If a motor is sold in the United States, alone or inside a machine, federal efficiency rules may apply. Here is the outline and where to check the details.
Choosing a brake motor: DC or AC brake, and how much torque
A brake motor is two products in one housing. Get the motor right and the brake wrong, and the machine still fails its first test.
Five checks that add years to an industrial motor
Most motor failures are bearings and insulation, and both give warning first. These five checks catch the warning.
Single-phase motor troubleshooting: start with the capacitor
A single-phase motor that hums but will not start, starts slowly, or runs hot usually points to one of a few causes.
Dual-speed motors: one winding or two?
Two fixed speeds from one motor, without a drive. The speed ratio you need decides how the motor is wound.
Choosing a power-loom motor
A loom motor starts and stops all shift, in lint-laden air. That is a different job from a pump motor.
Seven details for a fast, correct motor quotation
Most delays in quoting a motor come from one missing detail. Send these seven and the right motor comes back first time.
Sizing a geared motor: start from torque, not power
The motor provides the power; the gearbox turns it into torque. Size the pair from the output torque and the duty.
Hollow-shaft motors: mount the motor on the machine
A hollow-shaft motor slides over the driven shaft. No coupling, no base plate, no alignment.